MAM
‘Forever in our kitchens & hearts’: Brands eulogise MDH Uncle
New Delhi: It’s a sad day for the Indian business community with the passing of 'Mahashay’ Dharampal Gulati, owner and CEO of spice brand MDH (Mahashian Di Hatti), as well as the most recognisable grandpa on national television.
He was known by many monikers: 'king of spices', ‘masala king’, ‘MDH uncle’ and there is hardly anyone in India who would have not heard the memorable jingle for the brand created under his tenure – ‘Asli Masale Sach Sach, MDH MDH’.
He was undergoing treatment in Delhi for the last three weeks.
From a small shop in Karol Bagh, late Mahashay Dharampal Gulati built MDH into one of India's leading spice brands, valued at around Rs 1,000 crore. He officially established his company in 1959. At present, MDH Spices, which reportedly manufactures nearly 50 different varieties of spices, has 15 factories across the country and sells its products all over the globe.
He will always be regarded as an iconic entrepreneur and will continue to inspire generations ahead.
Multiple brands across categories came forward to pay tribute to this iconic leader:- Pepsico
Policybazaar
India's favourite MDH Uncle, Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, will always be remembered as the King of Masalas. May his soul rest in peace.#MDH #RIP #PolicyBazaar #AapKiSideHai pic.twitter.com/ldsOD9phSB
— Policybazaar (@policybazaar) December 3, 2020
Ceat
Age was indeed just a number for you. Thank You for adding flavors to our life and always inspiring us. RIP #DharampalGulati #mdhmasala #MDH pic.twitter.com/4SHifBj7Xu
— CEAT TYRES (@CEATtyres) December 3, 2020
Indigo
RIP Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, the longest-reigning king of our kitchens. #mdhmasale #mdhmasala #MDHRIPधर्मपाल #RIP pic.twitter.com/KrKz9Bgj3H
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 3, 2020
Badshah Masala
With complete & utmost respect, we mourn the loss of the eminent personality in the Masala Industry, the owner of MDH Masala, Mahashay Dharampal Gulati. We sincerely offer our deepest condolences for the huge loss to our industry and customers of all Masala brands. pic.twitter.com/09b9FwOBf4
— Badshah Masala (@Badshahmasala) December 3, 2020
EaseMyTrip
An end of an incredible journey. Om Shanti
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.#EMT #EaseMyTrip #DharmpalGulati #MDHMDH #MDH #endofanera #RIP #MDH #mdhmasale pic.twitter.com/gTBWc11Zyc— EaseMyTrip.com (@EaseMyTrip) December 3, 2020
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
